Aficionados of the pre-CD and pre-MP3 mediums are in for a bit of a pre-Christmas treat this Saturday December 5 when Danny Byrnes in Mullingar plays host to one of the biggest music events of the season - the return of the Record Fairs Ireland group. A feast of music will be yours for the taking at the legendary Mullingar watering hole and music venue when the collective of record sellers set up their stalls from 11am to 6pm.
Saturday’s eagerly-awaited record fair will give midlanders one of their all-too-rare chances to get their hands on some top class new and old vinyl. Audiophiles and music lovers rate vinyl as the only way to listen to music, and with this age-old format undergoing something of a renaissance in recent years, a decent crowd is expected to flip through the racks at Danny Byrnes this Saturday. And with Christmas just around the corner, this could be the ideal time (or indeed the last chance ) to pick up a collectable vinyl for the music lover in your life - and even the record player to play it on!
The fair will feature a massive and truly head-spinning range of vinyl records; from the 1950s right up to the present day there will be vinyl celebrating all genres, be it blues, metal, rap, alternative, punk, soul, r’n’b, rock, pop, Irish music, country and western, etc. There is literally something for everyone with every musical taste catered for by the vinyl experts who make up the Record Fairs Ireland group.
If vinyl is the not the food of love for those thinking of attending, then a comprehensive selection of CDs and DVDs will also be on sale on the day. Equipment such as state-of-the-art and traditional record players as well as vinyl-to-MP3 converters will also be on sale, as will a selection of musical merchandise, including handmade t-shirts and limited edition art prints of iconic album sleeves.
The Record Fairs Ireland group are made up of several of the most renowned collectors in the country. A few years ago, they recognised that record shops were closing their doors left, right and centre, so they came together as a travelling fair to ensure music lovers could still get vinyl at affordable prices.
For its many advocates nothing can beat the crackle and purr of a vinyl record, but as stores close their doors or divert their attentions into games consoles and movies, it has become harder to buy and track down vinyl. On Ebay, prices are often grossly inflated and, without actually being able to hold the record in your hand, there is always the risk of buying something that looks nothing like the description. But that has changed in recent months thanks to the national effort of the Record Fairs Ireland group.
The collective are on the road every weekend and to date they have held fairs in practically every Irish city and town. Mullingar has always enjoyed a great reputation as a music-loving town, so they are hoping for a big turnout in Danny Byrnes on Saturday.
As well as selling records, the group are also interested in buying discs, so if any readers have vinyl they would like to part with, then they should contact one of the stallholders on the day. They also have a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/recordfairs, so if you want to keep up to date with locations of their forthcoming fairs, or have any special requests for a particular record or artist ahead of their Mullingar fair then check it out. As ever, there will be no cover charge.
For more information contact Peter on [email protected] or 087 ) 7991590 or Ronan at (086 ) 8390191
